Eleanor Finch
Citizens for Constitutional Freedom (C4CF), later also known as People for Constitutional Freedom (P4CF), was the name taken on January 4, 2016, by an armed private U.S. militia that occupied the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters in Oregon from January 2 to February 11, 2016. The group was led by Ammon Bundy, son of Cliven D. Bundy, and they engaged in a standoff with the federal government over grazing rights on federal land.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Citizens for Constitutional Freedom (C4CF), later also known as People for Constitutional Freedom (P4CF) |
| Date Started | January 4, 2016 |
| Leader | Ammon Bundy, son of Cliven D. Bundy |
| Headquarters | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon |
| Occupation Dates | January 2, 2016 - February 11, 2016 |
| Number of Members Charged | 27 |
| Trial Dates | September 7, 2016, and February 14, 2017 |
| Number of People Involved | At least 34 from 13 states |
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What You'll Learn
Citizens for Constitutional Freedom (C4CF)
During the occupation, the militia group claimed that the United States Constitution only allows the federal government to own a small amount of land and that state consent is required for land acquisition in states. These claims have been repeatedly rejected by federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court, as the property clause of the Constitution grants Congress plenary authority to manage federal property, including land. Despite this, the C4CF group persisted in their occupation, resulting in arrests and legal consequences.
Ammon Bundy and eight other members of the group were arrested on January 26, 2016, while a ninth member, Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, was killed by law enforcement officers. Subsequently, a total of 27 people were charged under federal law with various offenses, including felony conspiracy. The trials for Bundy and his co-defendants were scheduled to start on September 7, 2016, with at least 34 people from 13 states known to have played roles in the group during the occupation.
The C4CF group had ties to right-wing activism and religious symbolism. One member identified himself as "Captain Moroni," referencing a figure in the Book of Mormon. Ammon Bundy's language and banners quoted this religious figure, mixing Mormon symbolism with anti-federal government sentiments. The group's actions and beliefs reflected a complex interplay of religious and political ideologies, resulting in a standoff with significant legal repercussions.
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Occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
Citizens for Constitutional Freedom (C4CF), also known as People for Constitutional Freedom (P4CF), was an armed private U.S. militia group that occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon for 41 days, from January 2, 2016, to February 11, 2016. The group was led by Ammon Bundy, a native of Bunkerville, Nevada, and owner of a car fleet management company in Phoenix, Arizona. Ammon Bundy was also the leader of a group he formed shortly before the occupation, which he later named Citizens for Constitutional Freedom. Ammon's father, Cliven D. Bundy, had previously organized and led a similar incident in March 2014.
The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, located in Harney County, was established in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt, a noted conservationist. It encompasses 187,757 acres (760 km2) and is considered "one of the premiere sites for birds and birding in the U.S." by the Audubon Society of Portland. Tourism, especially birding, brings in US$15 million to the local economy annually.
On January 2, 2016, Ammon Bundy and his armed associates separated from a protest crowd in Burns, Oregon, and proceeded to the refuge headquarters, located 30 miles (48 km) south of Burns. The militants settled into defensive positions and notified the Harney County Sheriff's Office and a utility company of their takeover. They claimed to have 150 armed members at the site, though journalists reported significantly lower numbers. The group sought to advance their view that the federal government is constitutionally required to turn over most of the federal public land they manage to individual states, specifically land managed by agencies like the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
During the occupation, the militia group claimed that the United States Constitution allows the federal government to own only a small amount of land and that the government can acquire land in states only with the state's consent. These claims have been repeatedly rejected by federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court, as the property clause of the Constitution grants Congress plenary authority to manage federal property, including land. The group's actions were also influenced by religious beliefs, with members identifying themselves with figures from the Book of Mormon and mixing Mormon religious symbolism with anti-government sentiment.
The occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge ended on February 11, 2016, after a series of arrests and voluntary departures. The final four occupiers surrendered, and a total of 27 people were charged under federal law with various offenses, including felony conspiracy. Ammon Bundy and 15 of his followers were indicted in connection with the takeover. Several individuals, including Ammon Bundy, were acquitted of conspiracy, weapons, and theft charges during a subsequent trial.
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Standoff with federal government
Citizens for Constitutional Freedom (C4CF), later also known as People for Constitutional Freedom (P4CF), was an armed private U.S. militia group that occupied the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters in Oregon from January 2 to February 11, 2016. The group was led by Ammon Bundy, son of Cliven D. Bundy, and consisted of at least 34 people from 13 states, some with a history of criminal activity and prior involvement in right-wing activism.
The group engaged in a standoff with the federal government over grazing rights on federal land. During the occupation, they claimed that the United States Constitution only allows the federal government to own a small amount of land and that the government can only acquire land in states with the state's consent. These claims have been repeatedly rejected by federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court, as the property clause of the United States Constitution grants Congress plenary authority to manage federal property, including land.
The occupation began on January 2, 2016, and eight members of the group, including Ammon Bundy, were arrested on January 26, 2016. A ninth member, Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, was shot and killed by law enforcement officers. This was followed by several other arrests that eventually led to the end of the occupation on February 11, 2016. In total, 27 people were charged under federal law with various offenses, including felony conspiracy.
The trials for Bundy and six other co-defendants were scheduled to start on September 7, 2016. The group's actions and beliefs reflected a mix of Mormon religious symbolism and a disgust for the federal government. One member, Brandon Dowd, encouraged people to visit the refuge and learn about their constitutional rights, stating that he was inspired by the 2014 Bundy standoff.
The standoff between Citizens for Constitutional Freedom and the federal government over grazing rights on federal land ended with the group's occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge being terminated, and multiple members facing arrests and legal charges. The group's claims about land ownership and consent were rejected by federal courts, upholding the government's authority over federal property.
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Arrests and charges
Citizens for Constitutional Freedom (C4CF), later also known as People for Constitutional Freedom (P4CF), was an armed private U.S. militia that occupied the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters in Oregon from January 2 to February 11, 2016. The group was led by Ammon Bundy, son of Cliven D. Bundy, who had previously engaged in a standoff with the federal government over grazing rights on federal land.
On January 26, 2016, eight members of the group, including Ammon Bundy, were arrested. A ninth member, Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, was shot and killed by law enforcement officers during the same incident. This marked a turning point, leading to a series of further arrests that eventually brought the occupation to an end.
In total, 27 people were charged under federal law with various offenses, including a single count of felony conspiracy. The trials for Bundy and six other co-defendants were scheduled to begin on September 7, 2016.
One notable arrest was that of Cliven D. Bundy, who was taken into custody by the FBI at the Portland International Airport on February 10 as he was en route to support the standoff. He faced federal charges related to his 2014 standoff with the BLM in Nevada.
Another arrest was that of Joseph Donald O'Shaughnessy, 43, of Cottonwood, Arizona, who was apprehended by the FBI on January 26 in Burns. O'Shaughnessy had a history of legal troubles, including a prior conviction for illegal occupation of government land and involvement with the anti-government sovereign citizen movement.
Brandon Dowd, 31, of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, was also identified as one of the militants conducting armed security duty during the occupation. He encouraged people to visit the refuge and learn about their constitutional rights, inspired by the 2014 Bundy standoff.
The militia group's claims about the United States Constitution and land ownership were rejected by federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court, which affirmed the federal government's authority to manage land under the property clause of the Constitution.
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Trials
Citizens for Constitutional Freedom (C4CF), later also known as People for Constitutional Freedom (P4CF), was an armed private U.S. militia group that occupied the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters in Oregon from January 2 to February 11, 2016. The group was led by Ammon Bundy, son of Cliven D. Bundy, and their actions were driven by a standoff with the federal government over grazing rights on federal land.
During the occupation, nine members of the group were arrested, including Bundy, and one, Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, was shot and killed by law enforcement officers. This was followed by further arrests, with a total of 27 people eventually being charged under federal law with various offenses, including felony conspiracy. The trials for Bundy and six other co-defendants were scheduled to start on September 7, 2016, with another trial scheduled for February 14, 2017.
In the lead-up to the trials, there were several notable incidents. One defendant, Peter Santilli, had the federal conspiracy charge against him dismissed by Judge Brown on September 6, 2016. Additionally, Bundy and his co-defendants sought to wear "cowboy" attire in court, but this motion was denied due to safety concerns and the potential for prejudice.
The militia group's actions and beliefs were influenced by a mix of Mormon religious symbolism and a disgust for the federal government. One member, Dylan Wade Anderson, identified himself as "Captain Moroni," a figure in the Book of Mormon who raises a flag of liberty against evil. Cliven Bundy had also previously used banners quoting Captain Moroni during a 2014 standoff, and one member of the group refused to give any name to the press other than "Captain Moroni, from Utah."
Some members of the group had a history of legal troubles and involvement in right-wing activism. For example, Joseph Donald O'Shaughnessy, who was arrested by the FBI, had previously been convicted for illegal occupation of government land and had set up a makeshift shelter with booby traps and explosives. Despite the group's claims about the federal government's land ownership, these claims have been repeatedly rejected by federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court, which upholds the plenary authority of Congress to manage federal land.
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Frequently asked questions
Citizens for Constitutional Freedom (C4CF) was the name taken on January 4, 2016, by an armed private U.S. militia.
Ammon Bundy, son of Cliven D. Bundy, was the leader of the organization.
The militia group claimed that the United States Constitution allows the federal government to own only a small amount of land and that the government can acquire land in states only with the state's consent.
Eight members of the group, including Ammon Bundy, were arrested on January 26, 2016, while a ninth member, Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, was killed by law enforcement officers. A total of 27 people were charged under federal law with various offenses, including felony conspiracy.
